World Cities Mark 2016 With Lavish Fireworks

New York has become the latest city to welcome in 2016 - with a glittering crystal ball dropping on a million revellers who gathered to celebrate Times Square.

It followed an excitable countdown to the New Year, which was shared in other US cities including Washington DC.

Sprays of gold were fired into the air during an eight-minute firework show from the rooftops of seven casinos in Las Vegas as the city's famous strip saw an estimated 332,000 people attend New Year's Eve celebrations.

Earlier, up to one million revellers celebrated at Berlin's annual New Year's Eve party at Brandenburg Gate.

Several people were injured, but officials were adamant the city's New Year's celebrations would go ahead.

Video:It's A Brand New Year In New York

The Burj Khalifa was fitted with 400,000 LED lights and 1.6 tonnes of fireworks for the display. The Burj al Arab and the Dubai Marina were the other two venues set to host fireworks displays.

In Moscow, crowds standing along the Moskva River cheered as the sky was lit up with colourful fireworks, around five minutes behind schedule.

In Sydney, more than one million people gathered along the city's famed harbour to watch the 12-minute show featuring a multi-coloured firework "waterfall" cascading off the Harbour Bridge and pyrotechnic effects in the shapes of butterflies, octopuses and flowers.

People crowded onto balconies, into waterside parks and onto boats as they jostled for the best view, clinking glasses and whooping with joy as the first fireworks went off.

Video:Fire Fails To Stop Dubai Fireworks

Security was tight across Australia, with thousands of extra police officers patrolling the country's major cities.

In New Zealand, the first country with a sizeable population to celebrate the beginning of 2016, people counted down to midnight with a giant digital clock on Auckland's Sky Tower.

Horns sounded and crowds cheered as the tower was then lit up with fireworks, with colours changing from green to red to white.

Japan and South Korea kicked off their celebrations at 3pm UK time, with Hong Kong, Taiwan and China joining in an hour later.

Video:Full Sydney Firework Display

In Tokyo, many gathered to release balloons into the night sky and count the seconds down to midnight in front of the landmark Tokyo Tower.

People in South Korea marked the start of 2016 with traditional bell ringing ceremonies, fireworks and outdoor music and dance performances.

Thousands of people, including North Korean refugees, were expected to gather at a town near the border with North Korea to watch one of the ceremonies and wish for unification between the two nations.

North Korea was expected to mark the New Year with a speech by leader Kim Jong-Un.

Video:Fireworks In Taiwan And Hong Kong

In China an official celebration was planned near Beijing's Forbidden City, which will include performances and fireworks. A gala was also due to be held at the Bird's Nest stadium.

Security was increased in Malaysia's biggest city, Kuala Lumpur, where fireworks rang in the New Year at a historical square as well as at the Petronas Twin Towers, one of the world's tallest towers.

In the Philippines, stray bullets and exploding firecrackers killed one person and injured almost 200 others as the country celebrated the beginning of 2016.